The Submission

(Based on a true story)

Meenakshi’s parents are lifetime residents of Kolkata. They live in close proximity to the big Lake, a place for nourishment of minds of thousands of residents and suburbanites. Meenakshi was born in Kolkata where she finished her high school.

Samiron’s parents had a mobile life. By virtue of a government job, the family lived in various parts of India. Samiron was born in Darjeeling and finished his high school also in Darjeeling.

Meenakshi and Samiron united through an arranged marriage. After marriage they migrated to USA for higher studies. They both chose medical career and became doctors. In about a couple years, they had a twin – a boy and a girl, whom they named Anik and Aanika.

In course of time, the children – Anik and Aanika – grew up, followed parents’ footsteps and became doctors.

From the days in medical school, Anik saw a dire situation in the third world, especially in Africa. Loss of life was rampant due to poverty and lack of adequate medical treatment. He set his sight on the development of poor countries especially in African countries. He chose to be a specialist in food and nutrition. For many years in Africa especially in Ethiopia, severity of poverty and associated diseases were borderless. Indescribable scenario of death, poverty, homelessness perturbed his mind. Without a second thought, he joined “Doctors Without Border” and accepted an assignment in Ethiopia.

When it came to working in an underdeveloped country such as Ethiopia, Anik’s parents got concerned. They advised Anik against accepting an assignment there. They pleaded, “There are many countries in the world which are equally suffering from the same situation. Think about our own motherland. You owe it to yourself to pay attention to India.”

Anik argued, “India’s situation is not as dire as Ethiopia’s”. India is much better off.” He made up his mind, joined “Doctors Without Borders” and accepted an assignment in Ethiopia. He spearheaded a team dispatched for mosquito eradication in infested villages. He used to keep his parents informed periodically about how exciting work he was doing.

Anik continued to work for months at a stretch, sometimes in deep forests all by himself separated from his team. The members used to keep in touch with each other through text message. But the team members became concerned when they did not hear from him for several weeks. They searched for him continuously for one more week. Informing the Addis Ababa (capital and largest city of Ethiopia) police force did not help. Even the country’s military could not locate him.

After a lapse of about six months, a medical team located his lifeless body and suspected of bite by some venomous reptiles. Anik’s parents appealed to the Government of Ethiopia, but of no avail. The parents then looked for help from their local administrative authorities. Unfortunately all attempts failed.

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On the other hand, inspired by her brother, Aanika saw a dire situation in Iraq. She heard a cry for dedicated medical specialists to take care of wounded soldiers and civilians resulting from Iraq war. She

joined the American team of doctors and nurses for 6 months.

It was a very stressful assignment in the clinic, both mentally and physically, with a steady stream of wounded people many of whom did not survive.

As her assignment was near to completion, she was preparing for coming home and in her last call to her mother the night before her departure she said. “Mom, today is my last day here. I will be leaving for the airport early in the morning. There is a flight change en-route and a long stopover. I will be home tomorrow morning.” She gave her itinerary in details.

Early following morning before dawn, the helicopter for Baghdad airport was waiting. Before embarking, she looked back for one last time. There was a light lit in a room. She was curious. She saw a wounded soldier, breaking the rule, was standing by the door on a crutch to say goodbye afraid he might not see her again. Aanika was not prepared for this. She ran to the soldier, hugged him and said, “I have your home address and phone number. Doctors will take good care of you until you recover from your wound. I will contact you.” Tears rolled down her eyes.

At the stop-over, Aanika made a last call to her mother. She repeated, her flight schedule.

Next morning Meenakshis were in the middle of breakfast and watching CNN. They were anxiously awaiting Aanika’s arrival. A Breaking News was flashing:

“A helicopter bound for Baghdad Airport with eight passengers on board is missing. It has disappeared from our Radar.” We are continuing to monitor the situation. Stay tuned.”

Every fifteen minutes, CNN flashed the same message.

Finally, CNN tracked and located the aircraft. Possibly, due to heavy fog the helicopter lost its flight path and crashed in a mountain ravine.

Samiron, very worried-looking indicating an evil omen, looked at Meenakshi. She looked at Samiron’s face and with a loud moan she fell down on the floor.

With the loss of their son earlier and now the daughter, Meenakshi’s were devastated. Friends and neighbors tried to console them.

They submitted to unfathomable Nature as their destiny.

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